Revisiting the Lesson That "落后就要挨打" — Le Shou Agricultural and Pastoral Group Hosts a Screening of the Film "Water Gate Bridge"

What is this? As the saying goes, "落后 means being bullied;落后 means getting beaten; and 落后 means having good intentions but lacking the strength to act."

However, after watching the film, beyond being moved and deeply shaken, as I reflected on it again and again—savoring its moments and letting them percolate—I found myself quietly pondering. And the more I thought about it, the clearer the thread of my reflection became, leading to an increasingly profound understanding. That realization, honed through countless trials yet timeless in its relevance, is this:落后就要挨打.

This is a phrase we often hear—almost every modern and contemporary patriotic education program, whether in its introduction or conclusion, inevitably circles back to it. It’s a historical lesson distilled from over a century of China’s painful history marked by bloodshed and humiliation, a legacy that future generations must never forget.

During the late Qing dynasty, the government adopted an isolationist policy, clinging to survival at any cost. Ultimately, this led to its complete subjugation by Western powers, who treated China as they pleased—either through brutal intimidation with clubs and fists or by delivering devastating blows with their advanced warships and cannons. The resulting series of unequal treaties was nothing short of an overwhelming feast of humiliation. Why? Because backwardness inevitably invites aggression—and indeed, it invites being beaten! Imperialists simply have no regard for human rights or morality; instead, they embrace their predatory instincts, driven by the ruthless logic of "might makes right" and the "law of the jungle." Sadly, even today, these deeply ingrained, beastly tendencies remain unchanged.

Old, impoverished, and weak China endured countless acts of oppression and hardship. It was only under the wise leadership of the Communist Party of China that the people of the nation finally overthrew the "three great mountains," followed by the arduous struggles of the Anti-Japanese War and the Liberation War—ultimately leading to the establishment of a new, independent China.

From the very beginning of its founding, New China was riddled with weaknesses and faced immense challenges—countless industries lay in ruins, and the nation stood at a critical juncture, yearning for revival and reconstruction. It urgently needed to gather strength, rebuild, and focus on nurturing its economy while bolstering national power. Yet, imperialist America, driven by an insatiable desire for dominance, seized this fragile moment to launch the Korean War—directly targeting the newly established People's Republic of China.

"Strike first, and you'll prevent a hundred more!" Chairman Mao made a wise and decisive decision, his resolve as unyielding as a mountain. The People's Liberation Army marched boldly and proudly across the Yalu River, heading straight into the Korean battlefield to fight against U.S. aggression, defending their homeland and safeguarding national sovereignty.

The Battle of Chosin Reservoir truly showed the U.S. imperial forces just how formidable the Chinese People's Volunteer Army could be. We not only demonstrated our military might and sheer determination but also annihilated an entire regiment—the elite "Polar Bear" unit—from a U.S. Army division, leaving the American forces strategically on the defensive. Forced to retreat toward Hungnam Port, the enemy was ultimately caught off guard when our Volunteers launched their heroic assault, blowing up the crucial Watergate Bridge and cutting off their escape route.

Whether it was the Battle of Chosin Reservoir or the demolition of the Watergate Bridge, both incidents subtly highlighted the weakness of our military’s equipment and resources. Several detailed scenes in the film vividly illustrate this disparity. Our troops entered North Korea on short notice, leaving some soldiers inadequately dressed—many were even wearing just thin clothing—while the enemy was fully equipped with thick cotton uniforms. While the enemy enjoyed hearty meals of meat and sipped coffee, we struggled to provide even basic rations like frozen potatoes. Meanwhile, their arsenal included advanced aircraft, powerful artillery, and formidable tanks, whereas our forces relied primarily on submachine guns—and limited, low-caliber artillery for firepower. In essence, we often faced an enemy armed to the teeth with sheer determination and resilience. So, how did the U.S. military manage to be defeated by the Volunteer Army, despite being at a clear disadvantage?

From the U.S. military's perspective, their strategy was simply outdated—and ultimately defeated by the courageous and ingenious "outflank, cut off, encircle, and annihilate" tactics employed by our People's Volunteer Army.

So why, despite having already established a strategic advantage over the U.S. military—allowing us to concentrate forces and ultimately annihilate them—did we fail to completely wipe them out? It’s because our weapons and equipment are far inferior compared to those of the U.S. military. Being behind means getting pushed around; being behind means taking hits; being behind means we can only rely on sheer determination—and even then, we’re forced to pay an even greater price in sacrifices just to accomplish our mission.

Our volunteer soldiers fought bravely and selflessly, advancing wave after wave into the face of certain death. At great cost—sacrificing their lives and shedding rivers of blood—they managed to destroy the Watergate Bridge twice. Yet despite their extraordinary determination and sheer valor, why did the enemy still manage to escape safely across the bridge? The reason was simple: our technological capabilities lagged far behind. As a result, the enemy airlifted steel bridge sections from Tokyo via helicopter, swiftly rebuilding the bridge for a third time in record time. And once again, we had neither the resources nor the means left to strike down that damned Watergate Bridge. All we could do was watch helplessly as the enemy slipped away unscathed.

What is this? As the saying goes,落后就挨欺负，落后就挨打，落后就是心有甘而力不足.

Let’s think this through a bit more deeply: Suppose the U.S. military had executed its strategy flawlessly, and yet here we are—divided and surrounded by the enemy. Even with our soldiers’ unmatched bravery and resilience, could we possibly escape unscathed from the perilous Watergate Bridge scenario, given our current level of weaponry, equipment, and technological capabilities? Frankly, the answer is chilling upon closer reflection.

Beyond the heroic resistance and poignant, heartrending sacrifice of the soldiers depicted in the film *Water Gate Bridge*, there should also be much deeper reflection left for us to ponder.

I thought about our company and recalled a saying: "The market is like a battlefield."

The market doesn’t believe in tears. In a market economy, the rule is survival of the fittest—competition that’s every bit as ruthless as a battlefield.

How do we break through? How do we win the market? And how can we survive and continue growing amidst increasingly fierce competition, recurring pandemics, rising raw material costs, and other challenging conditions?

"Prioritizing quality, boosting efficiency, driving innovation, pursuing breakthroughs, and enhancing profitability"—this is the exceptional strategy set forth by our group’s leadership.

Without a robust quality system and impeccable product quality, we’ll fall behind—and falling behind means getting beaten!

Without standardized systems and processes, without efficient work and effective collaboration, we’ll fall behind—and falling behind means getting beaten!

Without the drive of technological innovation, and without new products that meet market and customer needs, we’ll fall behind—and falling behind means getting beaten!

Without strong team building and robust team execution, we’ll fall behind—and falling behind means getting beaten!

Without a strong cultural identity and without profound faith, we will fall behind—and falling behind means being beaten!

……

I thought of our country.

After more than four decades of reform and opening up, our country has seen a significant boost in overall national strength, rising to become the world's second-largest economy. Yet, we still have a long way to go before achieving the true rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Our days are getting better and better, but there will always be those who feel uneasy or even resentful. They’ll go to great lengths to sabotage our success and progress—almost wishing we’d somehow slip back to the vulnerable state we were in over a century ago, when others held all the power over us.

They brandish both the big stick and the greenback, simultaneously posing as the world's police while spreading discord, stirring up conflicts, and igniting wars—utterly disregarding the lives and well-being of people around the globe. Meanwhile, leveraging the dollar's dominant global position and employing shamelessly exploitative economic policies, they bleed the world dry, draining the sweat and toil of people everywhere like bloodsucking vampires.

We cannot harbor any illusions about them—our only path is to strive for survival and national rejuvenation. Only by strengthening ourselves can we deter the enemy from acting so arrogantly and overbearingly, enabling us to ultimately stand proudly among the world's nations.

Family members of Leshou, let’s take action—let’s face hardships and challenges head-on, just like the fearless volunteer soldiers did. Let’s bravely confront even the most formidable enemies, unite in our shared determination to fight back, relentlessly hone our inner strength, strike decisively when the moment is right, embrace sacrifice without fear, and dare to pursue victory. Only then can we break through adversity and reclaim our glorious legacy.

What we need to do is, guided by our corporate culture of "being honest and upright in character, and diligent and practical in action," and under the Group's strategic direction—to "strengthen quality, enhance efficiency, drive innovation, pursue breakthroughs, and maximize profitability"—we must stay committed to our roles, relentlessly hone our internal capabilities, strive for excellence, continuously elevate both product and operational quality, boost workplace efficiency and team collaboration, and consistently strengthen our capacity for technological innovation and R&D expertise. By starting with small, meaningful steps and fostering continuous improvement, we can take concrete actions that propel our company toward lasting success.

This life, I have no regrets joining the great Chinese nation; in the next life, I’ll gladly be Chinese again. Each of us in Leshou carries our own Leshou dream—and together, we share the Chinese Dream. We not only bear the responsibilities of our families, but also those of our businesses, and most importantly, the responsibility to our country!

Only when our enterprises thrive, our economy grows strong, and our nation prospers can we truly say we’ve "stood up"—only then can we, as Chinese citizens, genuinely hold our heads high, reclaim our national pride, and proudly showcase our country’s might!